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The "Dew Drop Inn" Chronicles
- Thread starter michaelo
- Start date
TTT and Dewey look great together.
Michael and Susan, I see you waltzing across Texas. I hope you are finding some great places. Keep us posted on your experiences and good places to stay.
Hey, Michael and Susan, You haven't checked in for a while. I see you over on the coast there. Hope you are having a good time. You've got a lot of posting to catch up on. Have fun.
michaelo
Novice
Hi Pat
Yes we made it to the coast of California, our 1st stop was San Clemente SP right on the Ocean, beautiful views from our cliff side campsite. We took interstate 8 from Tucson across many high passes in 85 degree weather, Tina our Mini pulled strong with no problems, now we refer to her as Mighty Tina! San Diego has some of the best craft brewers in the country, Stone, Green Flash, Ballast Point, Alesmith... We visited them all, got the tour and sampled their wares at their tap rooms, great fun for hop heads like Susan and me.
Next stop was San Mateo campground part of San Onofre SP, not on the ocean but they have a nice trail to it. While we were there a weather event somewhere brought in some pretty big swells, that's right SURFS UP! We watched the surfers for hours in sunny 70 degree weather.
We made it through the LA interstate system to Pacific Coast Highway on our way to Sycamore Canyon Campground in Ventura County just north of Malibu. When we got there we saw that the camping fees were $45 a night, ouch! We camped there 20 years ago and I swear we paid just 8 bucks. It's a nice place but not that nice. We decided to continue on to MacGrath Beach SP in Oxnard but when we got there it was closed. We went north to Santa Barbara County and got a nice sight at Carpenteria SP right on the ocean with views of the Channel Islands. We're going to stay the week ( fees are $33 a night) and the cel service is good so I will try to post more and maybe fill in the gaps of Dewey's maiden tour.
PS Did I mention that our site is within view of Island Brewery and tap room, we'll be there in the evenings kickiin back, sippin a few pints, watchin the sun go down...
Michael
Yes we made it to the coast of California, our 1st stop was San Clemente SP right on the Ocean, beautiful views from our cliff side campsite. We took interstate 8 from Tucson across many high passes in 85 degree weather, Tina our Mini pulled strong with no problems, now we refer to her as Mighty Tina! San Diego has some of the best craft brewers in the country, Stone, Green Flash, Ballast Point, Alesmith... We visited them all, got the tour and sampled their wares at their tap rooms, great fun for hop heads like Susan and me.
Next stop was San Mateo campground part of San Onofre SP, not on the ocean but they have a nice trail to it. While we were there a weather event somewhere brought in some pretty big swells, that's right SURFS UP! We watched the surfers for hours in sunny 70 degree weather.
We made it through the LA interstate system to Pacific Coast Highway on our way to Sycamore Canyon Campground in Ventura County just north of Malibu. When we got there we saw that the camping fees were $45 a night, ouch! We camped there 20 years ago and I swear we paid just 8 bucks. It's a nice place but not that nice. We decided to continue on to MacGrath Beach SP in Oxnard but when we got there it was closed. We went north to Santa Barbara County and got a nice sight at Carpenteria SP right on the ocean with views of the Channel Islands. We're going to stay the week ( fees are $33 a night) and the cel service is good so I will try to post more and maybe fill in the gaps of Dewey's maiden tour.
PS Did I mention that our site is within view of Island Brewery and tap room, we'll be there in the evenings kickiin back, sippin a few pints, watchin the sun go down...
Michael
It sounds like you are having a great first adventure. I'm looking forward to hearing more. Keep up the fun. Yikes, sounds like they have some expensive campgrounds.
michaelo
Novice
We figure on averaging out the camping fees, SoCal is pricey but we paid $7 at Big Bend NP and only $4 at Guadalupe NP with our senior discount. Being self contained helps lower costs cuz you don't have to take the full service sites. Our 120 watt folding solar panel by GoPower keeps our battery charged when the sun shines which has been the case here in the SW, we haven"t had a drop of rain since we left New Orleans! Getting a propane fill can be near impossible in some locals so we broke down and now carry a 20lb Blue Rhino as well the 10lb that came with the trailer.
The camping in Texas was great, in the past we've driven across Texas on the 10 and not seen anything of interest between El Paso and San Antonio. On this trip we had the time so we saw a lot of west Texas up close. If you're gonna spend time in Texas get the park pass for $70, it pays for itself quick because on top of the camping fees Texas Parks charges an entrance fee for each person each day, it also includes 4 coupons for half off a nights stay.
Our 1st night at a park in Texas was Stephen Austin SP, they didn't allow us to camp in the tent area, we got stuck in the RV area with the full service fees. I don't like to pay for services we don't use. The ranger didn't tell us about the pass, we found out about that at our next stop at Guadalupe River SP, so we got charged for entrance and the full service site. The RV area was like a bus depot with monster size rigs coming in, it was all pull through sites with 0 privacy. We left early the next morning.
What a breath of fresh air Guadalupe River SP was in comparison, Dan and Vanessa have covered the campground in one of their posts, I have never seen better designed campsites. All the sites are large and have ample privacy, there is shade from the live oak trees, they have raised, level and fine sand tent pads, big enough for a Northern Breeze. The fire ring is on the other side of the picnic table from the tent pad so you won't burn your tent down from a stray ember. All the things you'd like in a site but almost never get. Well done Guadalupe River SP!
We had to get a package sent to us from Camp-Inn, so I asked Dan and Vanesse if they could receive it at their home and we'd pick it up on our way through San Antonio and they said yes, aren't Camp-Inn owners wonderful! We had a nice visit with Dan on our way through. It's a treat to spend time with fellow enthusiasts.
I've wanted to visit Big Bend NP for some time, that's where we headed next but we needed a stop on the way. We only intended to stay at Seminole Canyon SP for 1 night but ended up staying 5, we enjoyed it that much. There are exceptional Native American pictographs here. There is good hiking as well and of course no rain, no bugs, no people, the place was pretty near empty. It helps that it's in the middle of nowhere, the nearest town is Del Rio (the angora wool capitol of the nation, lots of goat farms) 40 miles to the east and not much of anything going west. All the sites have shade structures over the picnic tables, power and water posts for 20 bucks a night. The weather was in the low 60s and 40s at night and the wind wasn't too too strong. The wind can be a major issue with desert camping. We've done our fair share of southwest camping and when the wind blows which can be often it can get downright miserable. The sand and dust gets into everything including your eyes throat and lungs. Best thing to do is pack up and get out. Thankfully we had very little wind this whole trip.
Next stop Big Bend NP, but I'll leave that for my next post.
Michael
The camping in Texas was great, in the past we've driven across Texas on the 10 and not seen anything of interest between El Paso and San Antonio. On this trip we had the time so we saw a lot of west Texas up close. If you're gonna spend time in Texas get the park pass for $70, it pays for itself quick because on top of the camping fees Texas Parks charges an entrance fee for each person each day, it also includes 4 coupons for half off a nights stay.
Our 1st night at a park in Texas was Stephen Austin SP, they didn't allow us to camp in the tent area, we got stuck in the RV area with the full service fees. I don't like to pay for services we don't use. The ranger didn't tell us about the pass, we found out about that at our next stop at Guadalupe River SP, so we got charged for entrance and the full service site. The RV area was like a bus depot with monster size rigs coming in, it was all pull through sites with 0 privacy. We left early the next morning.
What a breath of fresh air Guadalupe River SP was in comparison, Dan and Vanessa have covered the campground in one of their posts, I have never seen better designed campsites. All the sites are large and have ample privacy, there is shade from the live oak trees, they have raised, level and fine sand tent pads, big enough for a Northern Breeze. The fire ring is on the other side of the picnic table from the tent pad so you won't burn your tent down from a stray ember. All the things you'd like in a site but almost never get. Well done Guadalupe River SP!
We had to get a package sent to us from Camp-Inn, so I asked Dan and Vanesse if they could receive it at their home and we'd pick it up on our way through San Antonio and they said yes, aren't Camp-Inn owners wonderful! We had a nice visit with Dan on our way through. It's a treat to spend time with fellow enthusiasts.
I've wanted to visit Big Bend NP for some time, that's where we headed next but we needed a stop on the way. We only intended to stay at Seminole Canyon SP for 1 night but ended up staying 5, we enjoyed it that much. There are exceptional Native American pictographs here. There is good hiking as well and of course no rain, no bugs, no people, the place was pretty near empty. It helps that it's in the middle of nowhere, the nearest town is Del Rio (the angora wool capitol of the nation, lots of goat farms) 40 miles to the east and not much of anything going west. All the sites have shade structures over the picnic tables, power and water posts for 20 bucks a night. The weather was in the low 60s and 40s at night and the wind wasn't too too strong. The wind can be a major issue with desert camping. We've done our fair share of southwest camping and when the wind blows which can be often it can get downright miserable. The sand and dust gets into everything including your eyes throat and lungs. Best thing to do is pack up and get out. Thankfully we had very little wind this whole trip.
Next stop Big Bend NP, but I'll leave that for my next post.
Michael
Wow, no rain in all this time. We are getting a little rain here now. We had a lot of fog for the last couple of weeks. The days are getting a little longer.
Thanks for the details about campgrounds. I hope to get down to that area sometime. I'm a little nervous about learning to tow safely so I don't know if I will ever have nerve to drive in California traffic.
It sounds like you are having a great time. Keep up the posting. I'm really enjoying it. I can't wait to get my own little trailer.
Thanks for the details about campgrounds. I hope to get down to that area sometime. I'm a little nervous about learning to tow safely so I don't know if I will ever have nerve to drive in California traffic.
It sounds like you are having a great time. Keep up the posting. I'm really enjoying it. I can't wait to get my own little trailer.
michaelo
Novice
A great thing about California speed laws and I miss them when I'm driving in other states is that the max speed for 3 or more axles is 55. So no matter how aggressive drivers are they expect slow moving vehicles in the 2 right lanes and just go around. So we just cruised through the madness that is the LA freeway system at 60, tucked in between a couple of trucks. If you stay in the second to right lane you avoid the geniuses entering the highway at 45 mph right in front of you, that's no fun. Of course you gotta pick your battles, weekdays between 10 and 2 are best.
Michael
Michael
michaelo
Novice
If you find yourself on US 90 heading west toward Big Bend NP you have to stop in at Langtry and the Judge Roy Bean Saloon Museum, that's right the wild west's famous hanging judge. They have the original saloon there with very good miniature panoramas telling the story of American frontier life in west Texas at the visitor center. It is only a tenth of a mile off 90 with clean restrooms and pretty decent wi-fi!
There is no town of size between Del Rio and Big Bend, we made sure we had everything we needed for a weeks stay at the park. In Texas Big Bend country it is rare to see another vehicle on the road, it is that remote, and when vehicles do cross paths the drivers tend to give each other a wave. We have noticed this behavior before in remote areas that we have traveled in so it wasn't too long before we returned the waves we received, you just gotta remember to not wave at every car once back in civilization, haha!
Texas Big Bend area is just plain gorgeous country! It is part of the greater Chihuanhuan desert. The land is generally pretty flat looking with towering mountain ranges coming out of the plain, so the driving is good, very little downshifting pulling the trailer. I'll have to leave the park for another post, I promised Susan a pancake breakfast this morning ( it's our 31st wedding anniversary today ) then It's off to our former yacht club, Pierpont Bay YC in Ventura, we got an invite to their Super Bowl party, GO HAWKS!
PS PBYC is not as grand as it may sound, it's nick name is Poor Boy Yacht Club, they do however have cold beer on tap.
Michael
There is no town of size between Del Rio and Big Bend, we made sure we had everything we needed for a weeks stay at the park. In Texas Big Bend country it is rare to see another vehicle on the road, it is that remote, and when vehicles do cross paths the drivers tend to give each other a wave. We have noticed this behavior before in remote areas that we have traveled in so it wasn't too long before we returned the waves we received, you just gotta remember to not wave at every car once back in civilization, haha!
Texas Big Bend area is just plain gorgeous country! It is part of the greater Chihuanhuan desert. The land is generally pretty flat looking with towering mountain ranges coming out of the plain, so the driving is good, very little downshifting pulling the trailer. I'll have to leave the park for another post, I promised Susan a pancake breakfast this morning ( it's our 31st wedding anniversary today ) then It's off to our former yacht club, Pierpont Bay YC in Ventura, we got an invite to their Super Bowl party, GO HAWKS!
PS PBYC is not as grand as it may sound, it's nick name is Poor Boy Yacht Club, they do however have cold beer on tap.
Michael
michaelo
Novice
The roadrunner is Big Bend National Park’s mascot, we saw them everywhere during our stay, streaking across the road, screaming through the campground, they came to visit us in our campsite in the early mornings and late afternoons. It was fun to watch them forage among the thick brush on either side of us, we saw them hop up to branches 4 feet above the ground and then glide down to earth again in search of their quarry of bugs, snakes and lizards. They have a certain attitude when they are hauling ass, head down, tail held high, you half expect them to pause in mid flight and flash a big smile just like in the cartoon, meep, meep!
The park draws a lot of birders, I like to stop and chat, they are almost always willing to share what they’ve been seeing. They pointed out to us that the birds in the Big Bend area tend to have more vibrant colored plumage than the same species in other locals. It sure seemed that way to us too, we’d never seen such richly red cardinals and cobalt blue scrub jays. The super saturated colors of the vermilion flycatcher seemed surreal, very tropical.
The very remoteness of the park makes for a unique experience. Big Bend gets only about 3% of the visitors that Great Smoky Mountain NP gets. And it doesn't have the word big in it's name for nothin, it took us an hour to drive to Rio Grand Village campground once we entered the park. There are 3 areas, full service, just a parking lot for the big RVs, a large open area for RVs with generators and a no generator area with partial shade and decent privacy, we chose the latter for just 7 bucks a night with our senior discount. The campground occupies the former site of a Danish immigrant families efforts to cultivate the desert in the 1930s. You can still see the reservoir, irrigation canals, gates and ditches used to get water from the river to their fields.
We spent the week hiking. The park has more cactus species than anywhere else in the states. Some of the trails are so beautiful that you would swear it was the work of some mad genius landscape architect with a penchant for rock gardens, but it’s mile upon mile of it, it’s just nature on a grand scale. The hikes up and over the mountain ridges are especially beautiful because like Wyoming and Montana this too is big sky country and with that dry crisp air the views are almost forever. No camera could ever capture the beauty of the place. You have to be there in person to experience it.
Of course the Rio Grand looms large here, it is the giver of life, water being so important in the desert. It’s only a short walk to the river from the campground. And standing at the waters edge with Mexico only a stones throw away you can’t help but be reminded of the historical significance of the place. The setting certainly also reminded us of a 1,000 B Western scenes of bank robbers fording the river into Mexico with the law hot on their trail.
Rio Grand, Old Mexico to the left, the good ol US of A to the right( campground is on the right)
We thought we might camp at Chisos Mountain basin campground. It’s gorgeous, the basin is ringed with mountains, there’s an opening in a ridge called “the Window” with a view of the desert thousands of feet below. However the polar vortex extended deep into the heart of Texas, all the way to Big Bend and the overnight temps were close to zero up there. We got overnight temps of 15 degrees down at Rio Grand Village. That was plenty cold, thank you. Sure glad we had our furnace.
After about a week our supply of fresh food was disappearing fast so we struck camp and headed for Alpine to resupply and then on to Guadalupe Mountain NP with a visit to Davis Mountain SP on the way, but that’s another post.
Michael
The park draws a lot of birders, I like to stop and chat, they are almost always willing to share what they’ve been seeing. They pointed out to us that the birds in the Big Bend area tend to have more vibrant colored plumage than the same species in other locals. It sure seemed that way to us too, we’d never seen such richly red cardinals and cobalt blue scrub jays. The super saturated colors of the vermilion flycatcher seemed surreal, very tropical.
The very remoteness of the park makes for a unique experience. Big Bend gets only about 3% of the visitors that Great Smoky Mountain NP gets. And it doesn't have the word big in it's name for nothin, it took us an hour to drive to Rio Grand Village campground once we entered the park. There are 3 areas, full service, just a parking lot for the big RVs, a large open area for RVs with generators and a no generator area with partial shade and decent privacy, we chose the latter for just 7 bucks a night with our senior discount. The campground occupies the former site of a Danish immigrant families efforts to cultivate the desert in the 1930s. You can still see the reservoir, irrigation canals, gates and ditches used to get water from the river to their fields.
We spent the week hiking. The park has more cactus species than anywhere else in the states. Some of the trails are so beautiful that you would swear it was the work of some mad genius landscape architect with a penchant for rock gardens, but it’s mile upon mile of it, it’s just nature on a grand scale. The hikes up and over the mountain ridges are especially beautiful because like Wyoming and Montana this too is big sky country and with that dry crisp air the views are almost forever. No camera could ever capture the beauty of the place. You have to be there in person to experience it.
Of course the Rio Grand looms large here, it is the giver of life, water being so important in the desert. It’s only a short walk to the river from the campground. And standing at the waters edge with Mexico only a stones throw away you can’t help but be reminded of the historical significance of the place. The setting certainly also reminded us of a 1,000 B Western scenes of bank robbers fording the river into Mexico with the law hot on their trail.
Rio Grand, Old Mexico to the left, the good ol US of A to the right( campground is on the right)
We thought we might camp at Chisos Mountain basin campground. It’s gorgeous, the basin is ringed with mountains, there’s an opening in a ridge called “the Window” with a view of the desert thousands of feet below. However the polar vortex extended deep into the heart of Texas, all the way to Big Bend and the overnight temps were close to zero up there. We got overnight temps of 15 degrees down at Rio Grand Village. That was plenty cold, thank you. Sure glad we had our furnace.
After about a week our supply of fresh food was disappearing fast so we struck camp and headed for Alpine to resupply and then on to Guadalupe Mountain NP with a visit to Davis Mountain SP on the way, but that’s another post.
Michael
michaelo
Novice
Dewey and crew are now at Refugio State Beach campground. Beautiful palm lined crescent shaped beach with views of Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands. This time of year is 1st come 1st served so if you come mid week you almost always get accommodated. Susan and I camped here many times when we lived in LA. Nice views of the ocean from the ocean level campsites. El Capitan Beach campground is only a couple miles east but it sits on a high bluff and there are a lot of stairs to decend and climb with each visit to the beach, that's why we prefer Refugio. It's only 20 miles to that most fabulous of ocean side communities, Santa Barbara and all the town has to offer, the culture, the history and the shopping.
We'll stay the week and then it's off to San Simeon SP another of our favorites.
Michael
We'll stay the week and then it's off to San Simeon SP another of our favorites.
Michael
Jim and Sue L.
Junior Ranger
What a blast you're having. That whole area down there has so much to offer. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Enjoy your time, but be careful on the road. The Pineapple Express is in full steam and we're gonna get clobbered with heavy rain the next three days. Stay safe and have a good one.
Sue
Enjoy your time, but be careful on the road. The Pineapple Express is in full steam and we're gonna get clobbered with heavy rain the next three days. Stay safe and have a good one.
Sue
Would love to hear more about your time at Refugio. We spent a week at El Cap a couple of years back - it was our first trip of more than 2 nights in our TD. Great fun.
We made a short visit to Gaviota, but didn't visit Refugio.
I am jealous!
Have fun at San Simeon. I recommend the Hearst Castle tour. We lounged at the pool for quite q while, chatting with one of the guides. Pretended we were just hanging in our backyard. Great place.
Will you be continuing up the coast, and spending any time in Big Sur?
-Al
We made a short visit to Gaviota, but didn't visit Refugio.
I am jealous!
Have fun at San Simeon. I recommend the Hearst Castle tour. We lounged at the pool for quite q while, chatting with one of the guides. Pretended we were just hanging in our backyard. Great place.
Will you be continuing up the coast, and spending any time in Big Sur?
-Al
michaelo
Novice
Yes Sue we've been watching the weather, so far that pineapple ex is staying north of Point Conception, the forecast for Goleta is no rain for 10 days. We love the central coast but may have to delay our travels up the coast for a bit.
We have taken the Xanadu tour a couple of times, we have a copy of Citizen Cane with us and plan on watching it while in San Simeon. One of our favorite California pastimes is to sit in our camp chairs on a bluff in and around San Simeon and watch the sea otters frolic in the kelp beds just offshore through a pair of binoculars.
Al and Cathy, I would have thought Refugio would have been more packed by Friday evening but it's not even 1/3 full and only one loop is open, go figure. We just got back from a long walk on the paved bike trail to El Capitan. We're relaxing with a cold beverage in hand, the ocean in view and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach.
We are going to stick to the coast all the way home and are looking forward to Big Sur, that most rarified air community Carmel and that ex cannery row town Monterey and then onto ...
Michael
We have taken the Xanadu tour a couple of times, we have a copy of Citizen Cane with us and plan on watching it while in San Simeon. One of our favorite California pastimes is to sit in our camp chairs on a bluff in and around San Simeon and watch the sea otters frolic in the kelp beds just offshore through a pair of binoculars.
Al and Cathy, I would have thought Refugio would have been more packed by Friday evening but it's not even 1/3 full and only one loop is open, go figure. We just got back from a long walk on the paved bike trail to El Capitan. We're relaxing with a cold beverage in hand, the ocean in view and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach.
We are going to stick to the coast all the way home and are looking forward to Big Sur, that most rarified air community Carmel and that ex cannery row town Monterey and then onto ...
Michael